Medical weight management · Singapore CBD
Doctor-Led Weekly Weight Loss Programme in Singapore
A weekly injection is the easy part. The programme around it is what makes the weight stay off.
Appetite-regulating injectable therapy is prescription-only, and it is not right for everyone. We assess first — bloods, body composition, medical history — then prescribe only if it fits, and review you the whole way through.
- From S$490 per month, confirmed in writing after your consultation
- MediSave cannot be claimed for weight management — this is a private, self-paid programme
- Doctor-led — assessment first, prescription second
- Baseline bloods and body composition, not just a number on a scale
- Dose stepped up slowly, which is how nausea is kept manageable
- Muscle-sparing plan: protein target, resistance training, repeat body composition
- Overseas patients welcome — whether you are starting fresh or already on treatment abroad
Book a weight assessment
Tell us where you are now and we will come back with a time. Replies during clinic hours.
Why we will not prescribe from a WhatsApp message
These medicines are prescription-only in Singapore for good reason. They change how your gut, appetite and blood sugar behave, they interact with other medication, and a handful of conditions make them unsafe. None of that can be established from a photo and a target weight.
What you get instead: a 30-minute assessment, baseline bloods and body composition, a written plan with the expected cost, and a doctor who reviews you at each dose step rather than posting a box and hoping.
Before the prescription
Who this actually suits
Injectable appetite therapy is a tool for a specific problem. Used in the right person it is genuinely effective; used in the wrong one it is expensive, uncomfortable and occasionally unsafe. The first appointment exists to work out which you are.
Usually suitable
Good candidatesAdults carrying excess weight that is affecting health, who have tried and stalled on diet and activity alone.
- Body mass index
- Broadly BMI 27.5 and above with a weight-related condition, or 32.5 and above on its own — Asian thresholds, confirmed at assessment
- Metabolic risk
- Raised blood sugar, fatty liver, high blood pressure, sleep apnoea or an unfavourable lipid profile
- Expectation
- Understands this is a long-term programme, not a six-week course
Investigate first
Not yetWeight gain sometimes has a cause worth finding before anything is prescribed for it.
- Thyroid and hormones
- Underactive thyroid, PCOS and cortisol excess all change the picture
- Medication effects
- Some antidepressants, steroids, antipsychotics and beta blockers drive weight gain
- Sleep and stress
- Untreated sleep apnoea and chronic sleep debt blunt any weight programme
Not suitable
Red flagsSome histories rule this class of medicine out entirely, and some make it a poor idea.
- Personal or family history
- Medullary thyroid carcinoma or MEN 2 — an absolute contraindication
- Pancreatic and gut disease
- Previous pancreatitis, severe gastroparesis or significant gallbladder disease
- Pregnancy
- Not for use in pregnancy, when trying to conceive, or while breastfeeding
How it works
It works on appetite signalling, not on willpower
Your gut releases hormones after a meal that tell the brain you have eaten enough, slow the stomach down, and help the pancreas release insulin at the right moment. The newer injectable treatments imitate those signals and keep them switched on for a week at a time. The practical effect is that hunger quietens and portions shrink without a running argument in your head.
ASSESSMENT
History, examination, bloods, body composition
Weight history, medication, family history and the conditions that rule treatment out. Baseline bloods cover glucose control, liver, kidney, thyroid and lipids. Body composition separates fat from muscle so we can tell later whether you are losing the right thing.
THE PLAN
Written, with the cost on it
What is being prescribed, how the dose steps up, what to eat, what to lift, when you are seen again and what it will cost. You take it away and decide.
DOSE ESCALATION
Start low, hold, then step up
Treatment begins at the lowest dose and holds there for several weeks before any increase. This is the single biggest lever on side effects — going up too fast is what makes people nauseated and quit.
REVIEW
Reassessed at every step
Weight, waist, tolerance and body composition are checked before each increase. If the response is poor or the side effects are not settling, the plan changes rather than the dose simply rising.
Planning guide
What the first year usually looks like
Use this to set expectations, not as a promise. Response varies widely between individuals, and roughly one person in seven responds poorly to this class of medicine regardless of how well the programme is run.
| Stage | What happens | What we check |
|---|---|---|
| Weeks 1–4 | Lowest dose. Appetite starts to quieten. Mild nausea or reflux is common and usually settles. | Tolerance, hydration, what you are actually eating |
| Weeks 5–12 | Stepwise dose increases with a hold at each level. Most of the early weight change happens here. | Weight, waist, side effects, protein intake |
| Months 4–6 | Settling towards a maintenance dose. Resistance training matters most in this window. | Repeat bloods and body composition |
| Months 7–12 | Plateau is normal and expected. The conversation turns to holding the result. | Muscle mass, metabolic markers, long-term plan |
Published trials of the newer dual-acting injectables report average total body weight reductions in the region of 15 to 22 per cent over 72 weeks in people with obesity, alongside diet and activity support. Trial averages are not individual promises, and results in clinic depend heavily on whether the eating and training side of the plan is followed.
The part most clinics skip
Losing muscle is not winning
WHY IT MATTERS
Rapid loss takes muscle with it
A meaningful share of weight lost on appetite-suppressing treatment is lean tissue. Lose enough of it and your resting metabolism falls, which is precisely what makes regain so easy later.
PROTEIN
A target, not a guess
Eating far less overall makes it easy to under-eat protein badly. You get a specific daily target based on your body composition, and practical ways to hit it when your appetite has gone.
RESISTANCE TRAINING
Two to three sessions a week
Loading the muscle is the signal that tells the body to keep it. Nothing exotic — progressive resistance work you can sustain while eating less.
MEASUREMENT
Body composition, not just the scale
Repeat readings tell us whether the number going down is fat or muscle. If it is the wrong one, the plan changes.
Straight talk about the limits
- Nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, constipation, reflux and appetite loss are common, especially in the first weeks and after each dose increase. Most settle; in some people they do not.
- Less common but serious risks include pancreatitis, gallstones, gallbladder inflammation, dehydration with kidney injury, and low blood sugar when combined with certain diabetes medication.
- Weight is regained after stopping in most people unless eating, training and follow-up are already established. This is a long-term programme, and the exit plan is part of it from day one.
- Roughly one in seven people responds poorly to this class of medicine. If that is you, we say so and change approach rather than keep charging you.
- A substantial share of the weight lost is lean tissue unless protein intake and resistance training are addressed deliberately.
- No result can be guaranteed. Rate of loss, tolerance and final outcome vary between individuals.
- Never buy injectable weight-loss medication from an online seller, a gym contact or an overseas courier. Counterfeit and mis-dosed product is a real and documented problem, and there is no way to tell by looking.
If a clinic will prescribe without bloods, without an examination, and without seeing you again, what you are buying is a delivery service rather than medical care.
Travelling in
Not based in Singapore? You can still be seen here.
This is a Singapore clinic and most of our weight patients are local — but we also see a steady stream of regional patients, most often from Indonesia. Both are welcome: people starting for the first time, and people already on treatment overseas who want it supervised properly rather than simply refilled. If that is you, bring your current dose, how long you have been on it and any recent blood results, and we will pick up from where you are. The order matters either way — teleconsultation and an indicative plan first, then travel around a confirmed appointment.
STEP ONE
Teleconsultation
History, current medication, recent blood results if you have them, and an honest answer on whether this is likely to suit you — before you spend money on flights.
STEP TWO
In-person assessment on arrival
Examination, bloods and body composition confirm the plan. A prescription is issued only after that, and only if it is appropriate.
STEP THREE
Follow-up once you are home
Review by teleconsultation at each dose step, with local blood tests where that is easier. Bring your results to the call.
Start with the assessment, not the injection
Thirty minutes gives you a diagnosis, a body composition baseline, an honest answer on suitability, and a written plan with the cost on it.
Book a weight assessmentCommon questions
What patients actually ask
How much does it cost in Singapore?
Programme fees start from S$490 per month. The figure moves with the dose you settle on and which tests are included, so your total is confirmed in writing at consultation rather than quoted over the phone. The first assessment, baseline bloods and body composition are billed separately and discussed with you before anything is ordered. MediSave cannot be claimed for weight management treatment — it is a private, self-paid programme.
How much weight will I lose?
Published trials of the newer dual-acting injectables report average total body weight reductions of roughly 15 to 22 per cent over 72 weeks, alongside diet and activity support. That is a trial average, not a personal forecast. Some people lose considerably more, and around one in seven responds poorly. What we can promise is that we will measure properly and tell you early if it is not working.
Do I have to keep taking it forever?
Most people regain a large share of the weight within a year of stopping, because the underlying appetite signalling returns to where it was. That does not mean treatment is permanent for everyone — but it does mean the eating pattern, the training and the follow-up have to be genuinely in place before you come off it. We plan the exit at the start, not when you run out.
What are the side effects?
The common ones are digestive: nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, constipation, reflux and loss of appetite, worst in the first weeks and after each dose increase. Serious but less common problems include pancreatitis, gallstones and gallbladder inflammation, and dehydration severe enough to affect the kidneys. Anyone with a personal or family history of medullary thyroid carcinoma or MEN 2 should not take this class of medicine at all.
Why does the dose go up so slowly?
Because that is what keeps you on treatment. Starting at the lowest dose and holding it for several weeks before each step gives the gut time to adapt. Escalating faster produces more weight loss on paper and more people abandoning treatment in practice.
Can I get it without a consultation?
No. These are prescription-only medicines in Singapore, and a prescription follows a proper assessment. Beyond the legal position, there are conditions that make this class of medicine unsafe and interactions that matter — neither can be established from a message. We also do not issue repeat prescriptions to people we have never examined.
I am already on it from another clinic. Can I transfer?
Yes. Bring your current dose, how long you have been on it, any recent blood results and your history of side effects. We will do our own baseline assessment, then continue, adjust or stop based on what we find rather than simply matching the previous prescription.
Will I lose muscle?
Some, unavoidably — a meaningful share of weight lost on any rapid programme is lean tissue. How much is largely under your control: hitting a specific protein target and doing progressive resistance work two to three times a week substantially reduces it. We measure body composition at baseline and again during the programme rather than guessing.
Is it safe if I have diabetes?
This class of medicine originated in diabetes care, so it is often a good fit — but the rest of your regimen has to be reviewed at the same time. Insulin and sulfonylureas in particular need adjusting, or blood sugar can drop too low. That review is part of the assessment.
Can I use MediSave or insurance?
No. MediSave cannot be claimed for weight management treatment — it is not an approved use, so the programme is entirely self-paid. Private insurance rarely covers treatment for weight alone; if you want to try, confirm coverage with your own insurer or agent before your appointment — we cannot verify or pre-authorise a claim. We can issue an itemised invoice afterwards for you to submit yourself.
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Information on this page is general in nature and does not replace an in-person consultation. It is not an advertisement for any specific medicine. Injectable weight management treatments are prescription-only medicines in Singapore; suitability, choice of treatment and dosing are decided by a doctor after assessment, and treatment is not appropriate for everyone. No result can be guaranteed; outcomes vary between individuals. Figures shown are planning guides drawn from published trial data. MediSave cannot be claimed for weight management treatment; private insurance coverage must be confirmed with your own insurer or agent.